The Baby
by TrueManevolanGirl4899
Summary: Natasha has a secret. This secret could change the Avengers' lives forever. But they've got competition. Nat doesn't want "it" and has set up an adoption for her child, however, the girl who will get the baby is much more than she seems, with connections to someone within the Avengers.
1. Miss Cathryn Shepherd

**Hi Everyone! So this is an idea I've had bouncing around for a while. I decided I'd post it, and if the response is good I'll continue it.**

**(Next update will be "The Cost of Victory"! I promise!)**

**Love,**

**TMG4899**

* * *

When Tony had instructed all the Avengers to meet at (_weird name of expensive formal restaurant_), they weren't surprised. They also weren't surprised when, following Tony Stark, they bypassed the line outside the door and were seated at a large table almost instantly (Tony seemed to have that effect). Out of all the Avengers, only Natasha was missing. Even Thor had come, though he had insisted that he bring Jane Foster along.

When everyone had been seated and food and drinks had been ordered, Tony got everyone's attention.

"Now, I'm sure you all know why we're here," he stated, in a matter-of-fact tone.

The others simply stared at him blankly.

"Oh, for the love of…" he muttered. "Recently, there has been an extended absence of our favorite red-haired assassin."

"So?" Steve asked. "Fury told us she was fine."

"And you're going to trust his word?" Tony questioned, and then paused. "I did a little research and found out that while 'Natasha Romanoff' might very well be her real name, it's certainly not her only one," he announced.

"She's an undercover assassin, Tony. She probably has hundreds of aliases," Bruce pointed out.

"True, but then I had Jarvis run searches on all of the names. Tonight, at seven, Miss Cathryn Shepherd has a reservation here for two people," Tony revealed proudly. "I arranged it so that they will be sitting in that table right there." He gestured to an empty table directly within eye's view but just out of earshot. "I then attached a listening device to the table and hooked it up to my phone and some earpieces. It's completely undetectable." He passed tiny earpieces around the table.

"There could be a dozen Cathryn Shepherds in New York." Clint said. "How can you be sure it's the right one?"

"Just a hunch," Tony answered with a smirk. "It's six forty-five now, so she should be here any minute."

Now, the Avengers were curious and made minimal small talk, waiting to see if the plan would work.

At six fifty-seven, a passive waitress led a girl to the table and seated her. She couldn't have been more than fourteen with electric blue eyes, pale skin, and waist-length black hair that had barely-visible purple streaks in it. She wore a simple black dress that fell to her knees with black and white striped leggings underneath it.

A small crackle was heard in the earpieces, but then a young voice became clear.

"_Just water, please."_

The waitress asked if she wanted to order food yet.

"_Not just yet. I'm meeting a friend so I'll wait."_

The waitress nodded and left.

The Avengers listened closely until they heard, "_There you are, Nat! It's so good to see you!"_

The company looked to see and, sure enough, the girl had stood up and was embracing one Natasha Romanoff. Clint started to rise, but Steve held him back.

The girl and Natasha sat down across from one another. The team almost didn't recognize Natasha for the feminine clothing she donned. She was wearing a long green shirt that was split into pleats at the bottom and she wore navy capris that were edged with lace.

"_How are you?"_ Natasha queried.

"_Oh, I'm fine. Busy as ever, of course, but the real question is, how are __**you**_ _feeling?"_

The Avengers saw Natasha give a small smile. "_As well as can be expected. It all feels so strange, and the nausea can take some getting used to."_

Jane opened her mouth in an 'o'. She knew exactly why Natasha wasn't currently on missions. The shock on her face gradually grew into a secret smile.

Meanwhile, the rest of the Avengers had been making small talk, so as not to appear suspicious. Unfortunately, they were a bit distracted, so it came out like this:

"So, uh... you been injured lately?"

"Huh?"

"Good, I'm glad to hear that. What about the new fireplace?"

"Here, have some more bread."

At the other table, Natasha and her friend, whose name was Via, were completely unaware that they were being observed. Nat trusted Fury to keep her secret, and also to keep her friends off her trail. This was something she needed Via's help with, and knowing the Avengers, they would undoubtedly try and stop her.

She watched Via closely and notice the girl favoring her left hand, even though she was primarily right-handed. Via met her eyes and smiled.

"Don't worry," she told Natasha. "It's just a sprain." She cleared her throat and hesitated. "You remember the psycho dude who tried to take over New York a couple years ago year? Loki?"

"Yes…"

"So, he may have contacted me with a, um, proposition."

Natasha frowned. "Business?"

Via shrugged. "Seems to be a bit more than that. He was quite…agitated when I spoke to him."

"Via, I wouldn't mess with him," Natasha cautioned her friend. "He's a liar and you should trust him about as much as I do. Which would be not. At. All."

The Avengers were staring at one another open mouthed.

"We need to talk to her," Steve said.

"Which one?" Clint half-joked.

"Both of them," Tony answered him.

Natasha suddenly realized why the voices she was picking up faintly were familiar. She felt under the edge of the table, her fingertip brushing the listening device.

_Why did I ever doubt they'd come looking?_ She silently questioned herself. She nudged Via's foot and mouthed, _Bug_. Via raised an eyebrow and nodded in a direction, at a table that was partially hidden from their view. A table that had captured her subtle attention the moment she had been seated.

Natasha covertly glanced. Around it were sitting the Avengers, leaning in to the center of the table and whispering, most likely about her. She gave Via an affirmative nod of the head. Silently, they both rose from the table and walked out the door of the restaurant without even so much as a "goodbye."

* * *

"I still can't believe we lost her." Unfortunately, Clint really _could_ believe it. When it came to disappearing, Natasha Romanoff was practically the best of the best. The thing was, Clint had gotten to know her pretty well over the years and he prided himself on being the only human being who could find her at times. This time was different, though, because she left none of her usual tracks.

By this time, everyone else had gone home and the only ones remaining were Tony, Steve, and Clint. All of them were disheartened that they'd lost the opportunity to speak with their friend. Also, of course, there was the fact that they'd had a chance to interrogate the girl (Via, apparently) about Loki's whereabouts these days. Thor had been intrigued that he hadn't recognized the girl. After what happened with the Chitauri, Asgard had kept an extremely close eye on Loki and who he visited and communicated with. They had no records of him contacting a girl named Via. Thor had promised to look into the situation extensively when he returned home later.

Clint had an idea and returned to the restaurant with Tony and Steve in tow. He asked for the manager, Roosevelt Flores. Mr. Flores, as he was called, was young and new to the position of manager.

"Hello, sir. How may I help you?" Mr. Flores asked Clint.

"Earlier this evening, a woman had a reservation for Cathryn Shepherd at 7:00. She was meeting a friend, a girl, called Via. We were wondering if you had any other information about Miss Shepherd or her friend."

Mr. Flores seemed a bit flustered. "I am sorry, sir, but we are not able to give out personal information about our patrons."

Clint leaned in closer, "Look-"

"The girl Miss Shepherd was with is my… daughter. She's been missing for a few hours and I wish to find her," Tony interrupted Clint. Poor Steve looked absolutely appalled, and even Clint looked surprised for a moment before shrugging. It was believeable. With Tony's habits... "Now, I could buy this restaurant and fire you on the spot if you don't comply with our wishes."

Mr. Flores blinked before nodding slowly and walking over to the computer. He typed in a passcode before starting to scroll through the list of reservations. He found what he was looking for and clicked.

He rubbed the back of his neck. Clint watched him closely.

"Here it is," Mr. Flores said. "Miss Cathryn Shepherd had her name in for 2 dinner guests. Miss Olivia Messenger, er, sorry, Miss Olivia _Stark_ was meeting her here," He finished uncomfortably.

Tony kept up the act. "Is there a phone number or anything for this Cathryn?"

Mr. Flores nodded again. "Yes, there is. Here," he picks up a piece of paper and scrawled a phone number on it, then an address. "This is the information she gave us. I wish you well with your search, Mr. Stark. And don't worry, I won't tell anyone about your secret."

Steve, still speechless, followed Tony and Clint out of the restaurant.

* * *

Roosevelt Flores left the front desk and let himself into the break room, located behind the dessert counter. Via and Natasha sat on chairs, awaiting his return.

"Thank you, Roosevelt. I owe you one," Via thanked him profusely. Roosevelt held up his hand.

"Nonsense, Miss Olivia. This is what you pay me to do, after all."

Cathryn, or rather, Natasha watched the interaction between the two with interest. She spoke up. "You're sure they took the bait?"

"I certainly hope so, Miss Shepherd," he answered.

Natasha grimaced. "Call me Natasha, please. I've never liked that alias all that much." However, out of her many identities, this was the hardest one to trace because she used it so seldom.

Mr. Flores nodded once and excused himself from the room after bidding farewell to Via. He ensured she had a spare key to the restaurant and showed them the back door, where they could exit when they were finished.

Via laughed at Natasha's facial expression, which quite suited her feelings about the name Cathryn Shepherd. "I guess 'Cathryn' isn't on your list of girl names then?"

"It's not that I have anything against name itself; I knew a woman once with the name and she was _not_ pleasant. Besides, I told you already, Olivia: _You're_ adopting the kid, so _you're_ naming it," Natasha responded quickly.

Via laughed again. "Speaking of kids… Tony Stark's daughter? Are you kidding me?"

Natasha snorted, "I don't know Via. You are pretty smart. Though, I will admit, you are definitely smarter Tony Stark."

"The sad thing is, it's totally plausible!"

* * *

Tony circled his car back around the restaurant, parking in the shadows and opening the windows slightly.

"That 'Flores' guy was lying. He knew more than he was telling us," Tony explained when Steve questioned him. "We're going to follow him when he leaves."

"So, now we get to be stalkers." Clint announced this almost happily.

"Whoah, wait! Look," Steve pointed to the back door, which had opened. To their shock, Via stepped out with Natasha in tow. They embraced and parted ways after saying their goodbyes.

The men watched them for around thirty seconds before Clint jumped in.

"I call Natasha. You two follow the other one. Meet back at the Tower with your hostage."

"Excuse me, 'hostage'?" Steve inquired worriedly.

"We want to talk to Natasha and we need to question the other girl about her business with Loki," Clint rationalized.

It was at this point that Tony's phone rang. As this was Tony, his phone was the car. It was automatically answered when the number was recognized as Bruce's cell. He didn't even bother with a 'hello.'

"_Tony, after Thor left, Jane told me something she thinks you might find interesting. About Natasha."_

"Mhm, well, spit it out Brucie."

"_Tony, please be serious. Jane strongly suspects that Natasha is, well… expecting a baby."_

All three men, at this point, were completely slackjawed.

Clint was running as fast as he could across the New York rooftops to catch up to Natasha. A baby was… well, a baby was big news. He wondered silently why Jane thought that Natasha was pregnant. Maybe it was that comment about the nausea.

He saw her below him on the sidewalk, walking swiftly. He dropped down behind her, knowing full well not to surprise her. He'd done that once before. It didn't end well for him at all.

He cleared his throat and Natasha whirled around, glaring at him through narrowed eyes.

"What do you want, Clint?" She demands an answer.

"Well, you've been absent for a couple of weeks-" he stammers.

"So, you start _stalking_ me," she challenges him fiercely.

"Hey, the restaurant was Tony's idea. We didn't even know what he was planning until we met him there," Clint defended himself. He then took a deep breath. "Um, Nat, Jane has this crazy hypothesis about why you've been gone-"

"It's true. I'm pregnant, Clint."

* * *

A few minutes later, Steve and Tony apprehended the girl, Via, as she made her way down a deserted alley that ran behind several tall buildings. Of course, they didn't get to interrogate her because Tony sedated her with a tranquilizer dart.

"Stark!" Steve admonished him.

"Oh please, now we can get her back to the tower without any fuss," Tony argued. "You get to carry her."

"What? A twelve-year old too heavy for Tony Stark?" Steve said half-jokingly.

"No, but if she wakes up, I want her to see you first."

"You're very thoughtful, Stark."

The girl on the ground stirred, her eyes flickering. "I'm sixteen…" she muttered softly, barely conscious.

Tony didn't miss a beat, responding quickly, "Well, you _look_ like you're twelve. And I'd be willing to wager you don't weigh more than 110."

The girl moaned a bit from the headache the tranquilizer was giving her. She attempted to push herself off the ground, though not very successfully. "I'm... 102, and p-proud of it," she finished in a yawn. "Now, please, _let me go_," she demanded this in a weary voice before collapsing in a heap on the sidewalk.

"Yes, yes, very intimidating. Steve, grab her before the paparazzi show up."

* * *

Eventually, everyone arrived back at the Tower. Nat had followed, but only after she learned that Tony and Steve were pursuing Via. Which she was not happy about. And made this well-known to Clint.

After greetings, cold ones on Natasha's part, and after the still-unconscious-Via had been settled on the couch, everyone sat to hear from Natasha.

As they watched her, Natasha took a breath.

"Okay. It started out as an interrogation mission. The objective was to get the info we needed from two men. Should have been easy in, easy out. Until it went wrong and there were five men."

"One of them is…" Clint started, but trailed off.

"One of them is the father," Natasha finished his sentence. Via mumbled something next to Natasha on the couch. Natasha smiled. "About a eight weeks later, I started feeling very nauseous and dizzy. Certain things would make me sick and other things would be comforting. Then I started vomiting. This lasted for about a month before I decided to go to the Health Center at HQ. They told me that I was expecting.

"Fury was the second person I told personally. The first was Via. Fury put me on immediate maternity leave. Over the span of the next two months, I would drop in to see you and pretend everything was normal. You, I think, started getting suspicious. So, I stopped coming in at all."

Tony watched her carefully, only now noting the slight bump under Natasha's shirt, clearly meant to cover any evidence. He wanted to know exactly how far along she was. "By my math, Natasha, including the time you've stopped seeing us, that totals about… seven months?"

Natasha nodded. "Seven and a half. Almost eight."

By this time, Via had raised her head and was listening intently. "Approximately 31 weeks last Monday."

Tony pointed at Via. "And you. What do you know about Loki?"

Via gave him a snarky look, then turned to Nat, serious again. "Nat decided early on that she didn't want a baby. She was going to abort. Fortunately, I found her and talked to her. We were able to work something out. Kind of like a deal."

"What are the terms of this deal?" Steve probed.

Natasha took a deep breath. "A closed adoption. Via gets the kid. I want nothing more to do with it than that. I promised I wouldn't endanger it, and Via is taking care of everything. Medical expenses, hospital stay, and apparently she is insisting on giving me some sort of monetary compensation for it."

At this statement there was a volley of voices hurled at both Natasha and Via. The protests were strong and loud. Natasha rolled her eyes and focused her attention on Via.

"This is why I didn't want to tell them."

* * *

**Let me know what you think! Thanks for reading!**


	2. In Too Deep

**Hi, everyone!**

**So, this is a really short chapter, and kind of late. I posted the first chapter the day before I left on a two week vacation, and I wasn't planning on updating this soon yet anyway, but a few things changed my mind.**

**First, two follows and a favorite! You guys are awesome! (shoutout to beverlie4055 and EmiQueenieArrow) **

**Second, yesterday was my birthday, so this is my birthday present from me to you. Hope you enjoy it!**

**Chapter Two:**

* * *

**Previously:**

_Natasha took a deep breath. "A closed adoption. Via gets the kid. I want nothing more to do with it than that. I promised I wouldn't endanger it, and Via is taking care of everything. Medical expenses, hospital stay, and apparently she is insisting on giving me some sort of monetary compensation for it."_

_At this statement there was a volley of voices hurled at both Natasha and Via. The protests were strong and loud. Natasha rolled her eyes and focused her attention on Via._

"_This is why I didn't want to tell them."_

* * *

"We could have helped you, Nat! Why didn't you call for backup?"

"There is no way that you're going to give this baby to a stranger."

"I still want to know why she was talking to Loki."

And the protests continued. Via rolled her eyes and nudged Natasha gently, nodding towards the door.

Natasha suddenly clamped a hand over her mouth and ran to the restroom, feigning a wave of nausea. Silence ensued.

Steve sighed and spoke to Via. "I'm sorry if we've frightened you, Miss, but we are worried about our friend."

Via smiled at him. It was a small smile, but a true one. "That's quite alright, Mr. Rogers. You didn't frighten me, though I am a tad miffed about the sedation dart. It could have killed me, you know."

"Why?"

Via didn't answer him, but looked at the ground, thankful that the dose hadn't been stronger. All she had to do was stall for a few more minutes...

Tony was about to speak, when JARVIS' voice was heard.

"_Sir, Miss Romanoff has left the building._"

"Now!" Via shouted. A blinding light filled the room and Via was sucked through a portal. This portal left behind a sheen of glittering dust that clung to the Avengers, who were stone still as they realized that they might not be able to catch their friend. A friend who was an _amigo_ with someone they now considered a hostile.

* * *

The portal dropped Via next to her house, which was quite large. In fact, some might call it a palace. Via had known this place as home for as long as she could remember. It had come to her through her mother's will. The house was given to her mother by King Laufey of Jotunheim, who her lover and almost husband. He had created this house on Earth for her to be a haven. It was protected magically and was beyond the senses of anyone. Via was safe here and she knew it.

She walked up the front steps and quietly opened the door, knowing- hoping- everyone was asleep. If there was one thing she hated, it was being fussed over. There was a discreet knock at the door. Via opened it again to see Natasha standing on the steps.

"Welcome back, Nat. You make it away clean?"

Nat smirked. "They were more confused than a couple of ice cream cones wandering around a fish market. They didn't get anything else out of you?"

"You know me; I don't leave a trail. You know, they really do seem to care about you, don't they?"

"They…" Natasha hesitated. "...are my family. But, like family, they can be very forward with their opinions. This is my decision. They have no say in what I do with the child. I'll go back after it's been born and the adoption has been finalized. I still don't see why you can't-"

"I told you, Nat. I'm not finalizing anything until you've seen the baby and made up your mind _for sure_. I don't want you to regret anything." Via had explained this before.

"Good night, Via. And happy birthday."

Via smiled and sang softly, "_Happy birthday to me_…"

Despite being pursued, hit with a dart, and interrogated, this really had been a pleasant sixteenth birthday. Even better, her brother had made himself scarce. Just as she had told him to do. Well, actually, more like _threatened_ him to stay away from her. She was a little curious about his proposition, but definitely not enough to want to see him again. That first miniscule tidbit of information about her stepfather had been quite enough.

And she had thanked him for it, too. By throwing him out of her home with a couple of graphic descriptions of exactly what his organs would look like if she found him lurking around again.

Too late she realized that, by that point, she was already in too deep.

* * *

The next morning began like any other; Via awoke, showered, refused breakfast (offered by the cook, Miss Quellary, who attempted to force feed her), and was attacked by her sink (the plumber was a bit later than he had said previously). All normal you see.

By the time 7:30 rolled around, Via was more than ready to leave for school. She attended a private school by the name of Ia. It was a "specialty" school for "different" and "unique" children.

Ia was created with the intent of putting a creative spin on school. Where most kids had P.E., Ia had a tree-climbing-relay-race. Via loved it; also, her name rhymed with Ia, so that was just a plus right there.

Ia's school grounds stretched for about 100 acres, though where they got that much land in New York City was unknown. The main school building looked like it was straight from "Downton Abbey;" interior and exterior. There was no homework, tests were conducted as one-on-one assessments, and every year on the last of school, the art class organized a school-wide paint war. How's that for heaven?

At the end of the day, Via loved the walk home. She cut across busy streets, and through less busy side streets. It was in the serene light of the lowering sun, that Via was pulled into the shadows by a mysterious arm.


	3. Not Enough Words for Fear

**Previously:**

_At the end of the day, Via loved the walk home. She cut across busy streets, and through less busy side streets. It was in the serene light of the lowering sun, that Via was pulled into the shadows by a mysterious arm._

* * *

"Quiet, please, don't scream," a voice pleaded quietly. The alley was dark, and Via struggled, trying to speak, but a hand was clamped across her mouth, muffling her words. She recognized the voice of her captor. She was turned to face him and the hand was removed.

"Look, I know this seems bad, but it really isn't."

"Rak, what the heck are you doing? Where's Della?" Via questioned him, remembering his 4 year old daughter from the last time they'd met. She was a bubbly little girl with definite traces of Oriental blood in her.

"Della's gone, Via. I'm sorry, but I have no choice," he apologized.

Via's hands were tied together in front of her firmly. She made no protest, just studied Rak's face. His brown hair was dirty, and his matching eyes were dull. The scars on his face were certainly better than the last time she'd seen them, but they were by no means healed. He pulled the ropes tight, cutting through Via's skin.

"Can't have you escaping." He then pushed her back against the alley wall and spoke; Via noticed his unostentatious earpiece. "I got her… Of course… We'll see you in a moment." He watched the opening carefully. After a few moments, a black sedan pulled up on the road, hugging the curb, and looking very suspicious.

Via raised an eyebrow, vowing not to speak to them, no matter what happened. The information they wanted could very possibly put Tasha and the baby at risk, be it location or personal details. It had been a few weeks since Via and Nat's impromptu meeting with the Avengers. Nat was now 35 weeks along, though the baby was measuring slightly big. Via had decided to wait on finding out the gender, and Tasha hadn't argued.

A man exited the driver's side of the suspicious black sedan. He seemed rough, but Via was having a difficult time reading his eyes, as they were covered by dark, aviator sunglasses. She was bundled into the back seat by Rak and his mysterious companion. There was dark, tinted glass that hid the face of the driver and anyone in the passenger seat. Rak put a hand on her shoulder, almost reassuring her, but did not get into the car with her. He leaned back and shut the door to the car, watching as they pulled away from the curb again.

Via looked around the back seat of the car, curious about any clue to her captors' identity. She noticed that Rak had left her bag, perhaps on purpose. If she could somehow keep her phone, it could be tracked to the exact location. She had taught Nat how to do it earlier, simply because you never knew what could happen at any given moment.

* * *

Natasha was being followed by Clint. He wouldn't stop. Natasha swore, in her head, that he kept it up much longer, she would snap. Maybe it was just the pregnancy hormones speaking, but she was fed up with people butting into her life. And Via's. Though she had only known Via for about a year, there was something about her that made Nat… _protective_. And she wasn't the only one. According to Via, people were infuriatingly protective of her. First it was her mother, then it was her old neighbor, Rak, and then it was her friends at her school. Now it was Natasha.

Nat tried to duck into a high-end clothing shop to lose Clint, but once again, for the eighth time in less than an hour, he followed her. Finally, she turned on him to confront him.

"Okay, this has _got_ to stop, Clint. Do the others know you're doing this?" She demanded.

Clint, not surprised, shrugged. "If they don't, they wouldn't be surprised. You're my best friend, Tasha. I'm… relatively concerned for your wellbeing."

"_Relatively_?"

Clint rolled his eyes. "You know what I mean, Natasha. Also, I thought pregnancy wasn't an option for you. You said you were sterilized."

Nat mentally sighed, knowing full well that she wasn't going to lose him very easily. She also knew full well that he was concerned. "I was. This shouldn't be possible at all. Even the doctors don't know how it happened."

This pregnancy was a puzzle for everybody.

Abruptly, Nat's phone rang loudly. The store manager glared at Natasha, angry at her for disrupting the peace. Natasha rolled her eyes at the snobby woman and checked her phone. Her eyes widened and she blew out a quick breath of air.

"Clint," she gasped softly. "Via's missing."

* * *

After escorting Natasha back to the Tower and ineffectively urging that she lay down, Clint eventually compromised with her. She had to sit quietly and calmly with Pepper while Clint went to find Tony. Natasha had insisted he hurry back as fast as he could. He had then made a sarcastic remark about the speed of hawks and demanding women, and she had, in turn, threatened to go into labor.

Tony was in the room with them not three minutes later, Clint dragging him along like his life depended on it.

"Tony," Natasha nearly fell off the couch she was sitting on. Pepper placed a hand on her shoulder. "Tony, you have to track her down, I don't know where she is."

Tony turned to Clint, who was panting.

"Via," Pepper supplemented, "Via seems to have gone missing and Nat told me that you have the technology to track her down here, using her phone."

"Ah, I see. May I see your phone, Tasha?" Tony asked carefully.

Nat quickly handed over her phone. Tony turned the phone over in his hands, then turned it on.

"Brilliant," he murmured under his breath. "Natasha, tell me, how much professional experience, exactly, does this Via have with technology?"

"None."

"You're sure?"

Nat nodded.

"And am I correct in guessing that she was the one who gave you this phone?"

Another nod.

"Well, Tasha, it would appear that you have found a technological genius. One who, no less, is going to take your baby, which I do not approve of," he held up a hand to stop Natasha from protesting his choice of words, "_but_, that is a topic that we will discuss later. Right now, we have other business to attend to."

* * *

**Short, but builds some more intensity to get the story rolling (I hope).**

**Hope you enjoyed it!**

**Please review!**

**Love,**

**TMG4899**


	4. Wendolyn and Jack

**Previously:**

"_Brilliant," he murmured under his breath. "Natasha, tell me, how much professional experience, exactly, does this Via have with technology?"_

"_None."_

"_You're sure?"_

_Nat nodded._

"_And am I correct in guessing that she was the one who gave you this phone?"_

_Another nod._

"_Well, Tasha, it would appear that you have found a technological genius. One, no less, who is going to take your baby, which I do not approve of," he held up a hand to stop Natasha from protesting his choice of words, "but, that is a topic that we will discuss later. Right now, we have other business to attend to."_

* * *

Via's eyes opened. She blinked slowly, trying to regain movement in her limbs and torso. She didn't particularly remember falling asleep. The last thing she remembered was watching Rak's face as the black sedan pulled away from the curb.

Via felt her heart quicken its pace as she recalled previous events. Calming herself would be no easy feat, so she went through her not-so-recently compiled "just-woke-up-in-a-strange-place-and-don't-know-where-I-am" list.

One: Overview of Location

She was laying in a dim room. Everything, at a glance, was in hues of gray and black. It seemed to be a sort of cell. The floor felt like cement and the four plain, windowless walls glinted as if they were made of metal. To Via's right, there was a thin pad; assumably there for the inmate's sleep. The wall Via was facing contained a heavy, solid, iron door that was held by two giant hinges. There wasn't a handle, so Via supposed that it was to be opened from the outside.

Two: Physical Condition

Via's hands were no longer tied, though she felt the aftermath of their grip on her wrists. They hadn't completely scabbed over yet and pulsed uncomfortably every time she moved them. She still wasn't able to completely focus her eyes, and her feet were numb. She flexed her fingers, despite the pain, and found that she found move all ten with no difficulties. She was laying on her side, and didn't feel any injuries.

Three: Details

This was harder, because her eyes couldn't focus, but Via started feeling the floor with her fingertips. This was a trait she had taught herself when she was much younger. Her mother would play endless games of Hide-and-Seek with Via, and Via learned early on that the smallest details were often the most important. By feeling the floor, Via picked up a tiny trace of dirt. She lifted her fingers, and gently felt the shape; this turned out to be nothing definable, but it could be a clue.

As her eyesight became clearer and clearer, she began to notice other tiny details. There were pinstripes of light shining on the floor. Via looked up, straining her neck to do so, but other than feeling what might be a possible breath of air, she noticed nothing unusual about the ceiling.

She sighed in defeat. All she could do was wait.

* * *

Nat had long since been past the point of panic. Now, she was leaning towards that eerie calm emotion that freaked people out. As the other members of the team had arrived, they had realized that the only ones who were of any use at this point were Tony and Jarvis. So, to make themselves useful, they devoted themselves to Natasha's every whim. It had quickly turned into a "your wish is my command" type thing. Steve hadn't let her cup of water go dry, refilling it multiple time within the half hour, and Clint was on the hunt for a pillow for her neck. Bruce sat next to her, trying to keep her distracted by explaining the theory of relativity to her.

"Well, you see, it's actually quite simple. It's as simple as, uh, finding, um," He stammered. Natasha kept on glaring at him. "I'm going to stop talking now," he decided wisely.

Tony finally emerged twenty minutes later with a broken phone in hand.

"Well, that went well," he deadpanned. "Tasha, this kid is off-the-charts crazy. It took me four separate tries to hack into the phone, and then, once I did, I had to figure out how to work the thing."

Nat rolled her eyes. "You could have just asked asked me for the password, Genius."

"Yes, but that would have been too easy, wouldn't it, Romanoff?"

"Quit it, you two," Steve ordered. "Now, we may not like this girl, but she could have intel on Loki, and if he is still a threat, intel is what we need."

Natasha cleared her throat.

Steve coughed. "And, uh, she's Natasha's friend."

Natasha rolled her eyes. "Via's not going to stay put for long. Either we rescue her, or she's going to rescue herself. I'd rather have it done sooner, though, because you never know when this thing," she gestured to her stomach, "is going to be ready. The kid'll need a mother."

* * *

Via was hit with blinding light as the door swung open. Two men and a young woman entered the room. One of the men was wearing a lab coat and carrying a clipboard. The other man had one blue eye and one green eye, matching the woman standing next to him. The woman and man looked as if they were related, though they also looked to be worlds apart.

The woman had kinder eyes and gentler features. She was really quite pretty, even in her "spy" outfit, which looked a bit like the one Natasha wore before going on leave. She had olive skin and deep, chocolate brown hair that was pulled back into a loose braid. The man Via assumed to be her brother had more masculine features, though his hair and skin tone were the same. His hair was curly, but not long. His eyes reflected rage like Via had never seen.

Via had previously regained feeling in her legs and was sitting up and observing quietly. The girl, who was maybe in her mid-twenties, refused to meet Via's eye. Her brother, however, glared at her with a strange sort of glee in his eyes.

"Thanks to you, my dear Olivia-" he started to speak.

"I won't talk." Via interrupted.

"Excuse me?" he growled at her.

"I said I won't talk," she reiterated. "You can torture me to your heart's content, but you'll never get anything."

The man rolled his eyes condescendingly. "There will be no need for torture, Olivia. It isn't information we want out of you. Merely a favor and a small blood sample."

"I'm not giving you money."

The scientist leaned over to the man. "I'm really not quite sure about your father's decision to bring her in. She doesn't exactly live up to expectation, does she?"

"She's bluffing," said the lady quietly.

The man turned on her sharply. "Wendolyn, I swear, if you say another word, I'll tell Father who really destroyed his portrait."

"That was you, not me, Jack," she protested.

He chuckled meanly. "Yes, but who is he going to believe? His son and heir? Or the daughter who never should have been born?"

Via watched with interest. She felt pity for Wendolyn. Via decided to rescue the girl.

"Ahem," she coughed, interrupting. "Back to my situation, please. Do I get a lawyer? You never read me my rights." She turned on her acting skills. She had had plenty of experience pretending to be a spoiled brat.

They turned back to her, but didn't answer her sarcastic question. Instead, the scientist knelt down next to her and took her arm. She pulled away quickly. the scientist tried to grab it back, but she stood up and jumped away.

"You can't take my blood. It's unconstitutional. Besides, you never told me what favor you want," she tried to distract them.

"The favor isn't from you, girl. It's from your brother," the scientist replied this time. Via noticed that he had a very unpleasant, nasally voice and his dark hair was damp and oily. He smelled like coffee and the top of his head was almost bald.

Via shuddered. For some strange reason, she wasn't convinced that he was licensed to take blood; hers or anybody else's.

She was just about to inquire what they could possibly need from Loki.

And the room exploded.

* * *

**Thanks so much for reading!**

**Please review!**


	5. Meet James

**Previously:**

"_You can't take my blood. It's unconstitutional. Besides, you never told me what favor you want," she tried to distract them._

"_The favor isn't from you, girl. It's from your brother," the scientist replied this time. Via noticed that he had a very unpleasant, nasally voice and his dark hair was damp and oily. He smelled like coffee and the top of his head was almost bald._

_Via shuddered. For some strange reason, she wasn't convinced that he was licensed to take blood; hers or anybody else's._

_Then the room exploded._

* * *

As she staggered away from the wreckage, Via realized how lucky she was to be alive. After the first explosion had destroyed the walls of the room, knocking the scientist and Wendolyn unconscious, Jack had lunged for her. He managed to grasp her wrist; consequently pulling on her arm and nearly dislocating her shoulder.

She shook him off after a second explosion rocked the building, bringing down even more walls (and a chunk of ceiling that fell on Jack's head). The door that had eventually let Via out of the building was as plain as the rest of the gray, metal doors in the building. Strangely, Via had passed no other individuals during her escape from the inferno that swallowed the building, most likely killing everyone left inside.

She managed to stagger another mile or so in the next hour, finally coming to the edge of a small town. The dense foliage and cool temperature suggested that she was in a northern part of the United States. Her theory was confirmed when she spotted a sign in the town stating that the town she had stumbled upon was Dormest, Massachusetts, located about an hour away from Boston in the direction of Salem.

The town appeared to be small, containing only a small motel, a convenience store, and a health center right at the town line, but thankfully not too small for a taxicab, which Via hailed. She always kept spare cash in a little compartment that she sewed into her shoes. Her black ballet flats were thin, well-made, and shaped to her feet (hence the reason they had survived her ordeal and stayed on her feet). Right under the arch of her foot, Via had added a little pocket, where she stored five, one hundred dollar bills that were folded flat inside their silk pouch.

The taxicab, driven by an older man who was kind and very chatty, carried Via to Downtown Boston, where she paid the man an even $150 for the ride.

The taxi had left her on the steps of the Boston Public Library. A recognizable landmark with plenty of witnesses, just in case. Unfortunately, the people were also witnessing Via's hair (which was a wreck) and her clothing (which had unrecognizable stains and smelled like smoke, kerosene, and coffee).

Via stepped into a small gift shop located across the street and requested brief use of their phone. The girl behind the counter had bright pink hair and shrugged at the question, gesturing towards the phone on the counter to her right.

"Help yourself, kid."

* * *

After three hours of no progress, Natasha was in the middle of threatening to walk out of the building to look for Via on foot, when her cell phone rang. Glancing at it, and seeing an unknown number, she ignored the rings and continued her threat. Then the phone rang again. It was the same number.

Now somewhat curious, Natasha picked up the phone and answered the call.

"Hello?"

"_Hi, Nat-"_

"Via!" Natasha exclaimed. All chatter coming from the gathered Avengers ceased. "Where are you? What happened?"

"_I'm fine, though I was kidnapped. I'm in Boston right now, across the street from the Boston Public Library."  
_"Boston," Natasha echoed. Across the room, Tony nodded at her, ordering Jarvis to ready a jet immediately. "Just stay where you are, Via. We're coming to get you."

Static was heard on the other end of the line.

"Via, are you still there? Via?" But nobody answered.

Natasha hung up the phone in frustration.

* * *

The phone cut out. Annoyed, Via set the phone back down on the counter and nodded her thanks to the girl. The girl ignored Via, though, and didn't even look up as Via left the shop. She crossed the busy street again to the library, realizing only to late that the day on the calendar in the clothing shop said "Friday," meaning that the library closed at 5:00. It was 5:07.

Sighing, Via planted herself on a bench in front of the library, a little disappointed that she wasn't going to be able to see the library. Other than children, there was nothing Via loved more than books. Books were her peace of mind, her escape.

Via lost herself in thought over a wonderful book she had read just the other week (_Scarlet_ by A. C. Gaughen) for what seemed like an hour. Then, a man sat down next to her on the bench. Via, startled from thought, glanced at the man. He did not appear to be paying attention to her. His focus was held by the tattered pair of shoes on his feet.

He had dull blue eyes and a gaunt face. The brown jacket that covered a gray Tshirt looked as if it could join the shoes in the garbage. His hair reached his chin, and was brown and dirty. He had a fairly unpleasant odor to him, maybe owing to the fact that his skin was not the cleanest.

Via looked away from him, feeling guilty from the small burst of pleasure from his appearance; though it was a little mean, she knew that the scraggly appearance of this man would help distract from her own grungy clothing.

He slouched a little as he sat, his gloved hands resting on the bench next to him. Via, between glances, noticed that he held his left arm stiffly, suggesting an injury of some sort. After a few minutes, he finally lifted his head. Via looked away quickly.

"Lost?"

Via looked back to his dirty face in surprise. Was he talking to her?

He cleared his throat uncomfortably. "I mean… Are you lost?" His dull blue eyes refused to meet her's.

She shook her head. "No, I'm not. I'm just waiting for a friend."

They sat for another several minutes in a rather awkward silence. As they sat, people passed the bench where they were sitting. The few that spared them a glance, had a sort of pity in their eyes. Via almost smiled, thinking of the way they looked sitting next to each other.

"I hate their eyes," the man said gruffly. "The way they stare, yet pretend not to."

Via shrugged. "They're curious. I'd be, too."

"But the do it so openly. With pity. I don't need their pity."

"Neither do I, in fact, I'm the last person to need pity," Via rolled her eyes. "But most people in this world aren't entirely willing to look past someone's appearance before judging them. I mean, come on, if I asked you where you thought I lived, what would you say?" She questioned him.

Now he shrugged. "An apartment? The streets?"

"Nope," Via said with a small smile. "I live in a huge house, mansion really, with a live-in housekeeper."

"Right," he scoffed, "and I'm FDR."

"No, really, I do." Via paused. "I'm Via, by the way."

The man finally looked back up at her. He didn't answer for a moment, and the silence became uncomfortable.

_I'm such an idiot,_ Via thought to herself, _he probably doesn't even care._

Just as she was about to get up and move to a different bench, the man spoke to her.

"I don't know what my name is anymore, but I suppose you could call me James."

"Alright, James," Via said. A helicopter flew overhead and Via saw the name on the side. "My ride appears to be here. Maybe… I'll see you again sometime."

He didn't answer her.

* * *

**Alright! Another chapter out!**

**I apologize for the delay, but here it is anyway.**

**Let me know what you think, and keep the guy you met in mind. He might be kind of important later… **

**(This is kind of easy, but can anyone guess who he is?)**

**Thanks for reading!**

**TMG4899**


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